Washington and British Columbia Trip ~ September 9, 1986

I drove up Route 153 through the Methow River Valley. Along the way, I saw Black-billed Magpie, Clark's Nutcracker, and "Red-shafted" Flicker. At Carlton, I watched about 20 Lewis's Woodpeckers feeding in an apple orchard. I took Route 20 east to the Loup Loup Campground where I saw "Oregon" Junco, Gray Jay, Mountain Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, "Audubon's " Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, and a male Williamson's Sapsucker. I backtracked to Route 20 and headed for North Cascades National Park. Taking this road over Washington Pass is a must sight to see.

Route 20, also known as the North Cascades Scenic Highway from Washington Pass, Washington.

The gorges between Washington Pass and Newhalem are incredibly steep and deep. The road meanders around Diablo Lake and along Gorge Lake before reaching the town of Newhalem.

Diablo Lake along the North Cascades Scenic Highway near Diablo, Washington.

At Newhalem, where the Goodell Creek flows into the Skagit River, I found Black Swifts along with the much smaller Vaux's. I continued down out of the high mountains to Samish Bay and Bayview State Park and saw Great Blue Heron, Gadwall, and Ring-billed and Glaucous-winged Gull. The night was spent near Burlington.

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